Brown, a Jamaican-born artist and designer with ties to New York City, was drawn to Warren County because of what she called ''opportunity.''

The opportunity sure sounded better when Brown mentioned she received special financing and could sell her merchandise with a 3.5 percent sales tax -- half of New Jersey's 7 percent sales tax. They're some of the perks for businesses in New Jersey's Urban Enterprise Zone, a program to help stimulate the economy in struggling communities.

The Renaissance name highlights Brown's rebirth, but she has kept her trendy and quirky stock, which includes paintings, clothing, hats, and hand-made purses, some made of cigar boxes. She's also holding art, sewing and quilting workshops.

Another recent opening in Phillipsburg is Satya Indian Cuisine at 165 S. Main St. The restaurant's menu is extensive, including lamb karahi, shrimp curry and vegetarian dishes. The Web site: http://www.satyaindiancuisine.com

I believe I gave enough good news.

Let's return to the doom and gloom, at least for a bit.

The Lower Macungie Township used bookstore The Recycle Barn, at 5573 Hamilton Blvd., was scheduled to close Saturday.

Its selections included books on topics such as like gardening, medical, and mystery. It also had a large array of children's books.

Caliente Southwestern Cuisine (Tex-Mex) restaurant has closed. The eatery was in the Bethlehem Village Shoppes on Route 191 in Bethlehem Township. The place opened in August 2008 and had fare such as burritos, enchiladas and chimichangas. The Morning Call's records said the place had specialities labeled under its ''Differente'' menu. Different you say? What's really different about closing?

Another closure for the record is the Jak-E Potato Company on East Lawn Road in Upper Nazareth Township. There's no record of this place in the Retail Watch archives, but a Google search revealed that the place was known for its gourmet sandwiches and grilled french fries. A tipster e-mailed me ''they had the best fries!! burgers and paninis in town!''

Krocks Pub closed on Dec. 14. The place is scheduled to be fully operational in March, Kuehner said.

A Five Guys Burgers and Fries was supposed to open sometime this year in the Forks Town Center shopping plaza off Sullivan Trail in Forks Township. That was the plan the franchisee announced last year. The idea was recently nixed, said Joe Rantuccio, chief operating officer of Five Guys Franchise Negvest, LP.

''The location is too close,'' Rantuccio said, referring to the recent opening of the Five Guys on Route 248 in Lower Nazareth Township.

Five Guys is a fast and casual burger chain that also has stores on Tilghman Street in South Whitehall Township and in the Airport Center shopping plaza in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

Rantuccio said the restaurant group is still looking to open more Five Guys restaurants in the Lehigh Valley, but no locations have been finalized.

A Five Guys is opening soon in the Trainer's Corner Shopping Center at 254 N. West End Blvd., in Richland Township. The Five Guys is opening in a storefront that has had a sign reading: ''Moe's Southwest Grill coming soon.''

Geez, that sign has been up since I took over this Retail Watch beat in 2008.

The Richland Township Five Guys location is not part of Rantuccio's group. I wasn't successful in getting comment from the Philadelphia-based franchisee that owns the Richland Township Five Guys.

Emmaus coffeehouse Perk on Main will be moving into the former Mas Cafe storefront at 332 Main St. on Feb. 1.

Perk on Main's owner Jill Killo said the new space will give much-needed additional room to expand the Perk on Main, which will continue the strong emphasis on brew but also will include new foods such as vegetarian lunch options.